


Under the Stars

by peach_py



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kind of canon divergent, Lesbian Character, Pansexual Character, but also not really cause it’s one night, it cute but also sad, kind of slow burn?, mabel and pacifica are big dorks, pacifica is a lesbean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:22:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23055415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peach_py/pseuds/peach_py
Summary: “Wow!” Mabel said, holding the crisp hundred dollar bill very tenderly. “That’s like... the opposite of pick-pocketing.”“Listen, Mabel, I… need your help. I’m kind of desperate, okay? This town doesn’t exactly have the biggest selection of… geniuses.”“Why not ask Dip then?”“I need you. You’re, like, the love expert, right?”“Oh, Paz, I know all about love! Why didn’t you just say so?”“Good, because I need you to show me what a date is like.”
Relationships: Pacifica Northwest/Mabel Pines
Comments: 14
Kudos: 108





	1. Heart Attack Pancakes

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first fic on ao3, i hope y’all enjoy! <3

The last person Mabel Pines expected to greet her off the bus upon her arrival at Gravity Falls was Pacifica Northwest.

Over the past four summers, the two girls… coexisted. Even after getting over their petty rivalry of the summer of 2012, they only so much as shared a passing glance or a friendly wave. On the other hand, Pacifica and Dipper were like two peas in a pod, always joking and laughing whenever the chance arose, bonding over their distaste of Pacifica’s parents. 

So you could imagine Mabel’s immense surprise when the heiress pulled her into a tight hug. She planted a dollar-bill into the palm of Mabel’s hand as she drew away.

“Wow!” Mabel said, holding the crisp hundred dollar bill very tenderly. “That’s like... the opposite of pick-pocketing.” 

“Don’t get too excited,” Pacifica snapped, but her voice then softened. “Listen, Mabel, I… need your help.”

“Oh, thank the stars. I thought I was gonna have to call Dipper and have him exorcise the friendliest demon ever— wait, you what?” 

“I’m kind of desperate, okay? This town doesn’t exactly have the biggest selection of… geniuses.”

“Why not ask Dip then?”

Pacifica shook her head and put her finger over her lips. “No, no, you don’t understand. I need you. You’re, like, the love expert, right?”

Mabel gasped, star-struck. “Oh, Paz, I know all about love! Why didn’t you just say so?”

“Good, because I need you to show me what a date is like.” 

—————————————————————————————

“Okay,” Mabel said, her palms planted on the syrupy tabletop of Greasy’s Diner, “I know you just implied it, like, ten minutes ago, but don’t tell me you’ve never been on a date.” 

“I’ve never been on a date,” Pacifica said coolly.

Mabel sipped her coffee, which was more like milk with sprinkles and marshmallows than anything else. “See? I knew—” Sugary goodness shot out of her mouth. “—what?” She coughed and wiped herself with a napkin before saying “What?” again.

“Well, since I’m an heiress and… whatever, my parents decided my future husband and everything already. They don’t want me getting comfortable dating any other… guys.” Mabel noted a hint of sadness at the word ‘guys’, but she didn’t think much of it.

“Well, who’s the lucky fella?” Mabel said lightly. However rich Pacifica was, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for her. As the self-proclaimed expert of love in Gravity Falls, she couldn’t say she agreed with arranged marriages— though she did laugh internally at the shenanigans her twelve-year old self got into. She could never forget the holy matrimony between Waddles and Gompers.

“That’s the thing, I don’t even know. They want me to meet him this summer so we can… spend some time together, I guess, before we get married as soon as we’re adults.”

“Pacifica…” Mabel said hopelessly. She knew there was nothing she could do.

At that time, Lazy Susan came around for orders, and Mabel ordered two servings of candy pancakes, against Pacifica’s pleading her not to.

“This’ll make you feel at least a little better.” She winked. “Trust me.”

Pacifica smiled weakly, but she had something else to her face that Mabel couldn’t quite place. Not sadness, or anger… was it fear?

“So…” The brunette tapped her fingers rhythmically on the table. “...would you like to practice dating?”

“Oh, sure,” Pacifica agreed. She stared blankly at Mabel. “Um, you start.”

“You got it, Northwest! Love powers, activate!” She cracked her knuckles. “So,” she said in a deep voice, “what does a gorgeous face like you do for fun?”

Pacifica cleared her throat. “Well, I like… I like to sing.”

“I’m sure you sound beautiful.” Mabel exaggerated her words, continuing her mock-masculine pitch.

“Drop the voice.” Pacifica said in a cold whisper.

“Right. What else do you like to do?” 

“Well, I like mini-golf.” She shook her head. “Wait— you already know that.”

“Your boyfriend wouldn’t.” Mabel pointed out. Pacifica flinched a little. “Oh no… I shouldn’t have said…”

“No, you’re fine. It’s just… it’s not your fault, Mabel.”

They both looked down sadly until they were startled at the sound of plates clattering. The two girls watched as large stacks of fluffy pancakes were placed before them, dotted with multi-coloured chocolate candies and topped with butter and whipped cream.

“This looks like a heart attack.” Pacifica grimaced.

“It sure is! You’re heart’s gonna be attacked with LOVE as soon as you take your first bite!” Mabel said in a sing-song voice as she reached for all of the different flavours of syrup; strawberry, blueberry, maple, and pear. Pacifica looked on with horror as Mabel poured the syrups all over her pancakes, creating a colour she didn’t even know the name of. “You want some syrup?”

“I… I couldn’t,” the blonde stuttered, beginning to cut into her own pancakes. 

Mabel swallowed a sweet mouthful of pancake. “You wanna continue? Maybe try asking me a question.”

Pacifica was about to take her first bite, but she really didn’t mind procrastinating. “Hmmm, what music do you like listening to?”

“Well, there’s an artist named Tia that I really like as of recently.”

“Oh— she’s the one who sings Candelabra, right? Huuuuge earworm.” 

“Wait, you know her?” Mabel asked excitedly. “I thought you only listened to rich people music.”

“Rich people music?”

“Yeah, like Beethoven or something fancy like that.”

“Seriously?” Pacifica laughed for the first time that afternoon. “I’m a sixteen year old girl, Mabel.”

“I got you to laugh! Ha! Success!” Mabel pumped her fist, but, when she noticed Pacifica’s full plate of food, she frowned. “You okay?” She began to ramble: “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you would be too upset to eat anything, I shouldn’t have ordered you all those pancakes, that’s my bad—”

Pacifica shook her head, though. “Oh no, it’s not because of that— it’s just— my parents would never let me eat this much sugar.”

“Well,” Mabel’s face went firm. “If your parents micromanage your entire life, you should at least enjoy these pancakes. You deserve it.”

“I… deserve it?” She denied it at first, but it was true. Any chance she had to disobey her parents, even the slightest bit, Pacifica wanted to take it. She sighed, picked up her fork, and took a little bite, making sure with Mabel’s encouragement that she had candy, cream and syrup on the scoop. In an instant, her mouth danced with flavours and sweet, sweet sugar, as though she had taken a bite of a rainbow. Was this how Mabel felt all the time?


	2. This is Normal?

“What do you think?” Mabel asked, hands clasped together like a curious psychiatrist.

“It’s… it’s wonderful,” Pacifica admitted breathlessly. She looked at the pancake, and then at Mabel. “I…” Suddenly, she slammed her fork down, and Mabel jumped. The strange look Mabel noticed in her eyes was back in full force. The blonde cradled her face in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold back tears. “I don’t deserve this, Mabel! I don’t deserve you at all!”

“Pacifica…” Mabel reached over the table to put her hand on one of Pacifica’s. “Yes, you do.”

“I’m making you waste your first day back in Gravity Falls on a lost cause! I have no choice… I’m stuck marrying this… this… guy…”

“I am not wasting my first day back!” Mabel yelled. The restaurant patrons began staring, but neither girl noticed. “I’m helping you! You’re my friend, Pacifica!”

She was taken aback by this. “I’ve been horrible to you, Mabel! I was such a jerk to you when you first came here, and I avoided you for years! How could you even still talk to me, never mind call me your friend!” The tears Pacifica was trying to hold back were now streaming down her face, her cheeks and eyes red. “Mabel… I avoided you… I avoided you for a reason.” Her chest grew tight. “I know it’s disgusting… but I-I… I always thought you were cute! I always wanted to kiss your stupid, stupid face and hold your hands…” She gasped and covered her mouth. “...you can leave now… I’ll pay for our food.”

“Pacifica,” Mabel said softly, “you like girls?”

“I always have,” the blonde said, her voice wavering. “Just girls. I’ve never once thought a boy was cute. It’s so horrible, I know it is.”

“What? No, Pacifica, it’s not horrible. It’s not disgusting,” Mabel said simply. “It’s completely normal. It’s completely normal to feel that way.”

“N-normal?”

“You’re a lesbian.”

Pacifica cried harder. “Th… there’s a w-word for it? I’m normal?”

“Of course you are.” Mabel smiled. “I’m so happy to have another gay friend!”

“Y-you are too?” 

“Well, technically I like boys, and girls, enbys too! I don’t mind any gender; I’m pan.”

“Enby?”

“It’s someone who doesn’t identify as a boy or a girl,” Mabel said patiently.

“I can’t believe this. This is all normal? I’m normal? There’s other people like me?” She exhaled. Her voice was still shaking. “When I was little, like, maybe five or six, there was a girl in my pageant class that I called pretty. At first, I thought it was because she was also a pageant girl, but my parents… they were so mad… they…”

“Breathe, Pacifica. It’s going to be all right.” Mabel took her last bite of pancake, having finished them all in record time. “Oh… you might want to finish your pancakes before they get cold.”

Pacifica sniffled. “Okay.” She continued eating the best pancakes she had ever eaten, though she came to that conclusion after only one bite. The warm and candied taste that melted in her mouth did actually make her feel a bit better.

“When you’re done, I have a surprise for you.” Mabel added.

“Huh?” Pacifica said between bites.

“This is a date, after all.”


	3. Let’s Get You Home

Pacifica scooped the last bite into her mouth and paid for the pancakes and coffee, which was considered brunch but was practically dinner by the time she was done with it. Mabel nearly dragged her out of the diner. “Come on! We have to hurry!”

“I can’t run in heels!” Pacifica cried out after Mabel, cramming her wallet into her purse in a rush. 

“Then you’d better hold on!” Mabel hoisted the slightly shorter girl onto her shoulders and ran, not too bothered by the extra weight. 

Pacifica couldn’t help but blush to herself as Mabel ran through the trees and up a hill, not losing speed the entire time. She never knew she was so strong… 

Eventually, the two arrived at the cliff top, just as the sun was starting to set. Mabel gasped for breath and let Pacifica climb to the ground. “Perfect… timing…” she sputtered, fanning herself. “You’re heavier than I thought, princess.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Pacifica snapped.

“Just kidding. You’re nothing— I’ve carried Waddles for exercise before.” Mabel laughed breathlessly. “He’s gotten big, that one.”

“So what is all this? Why rush me up here?”

Mabel sat down near the cliff edge and patted the grass by her side. “The view! The sunset is amazing, and you can see the entire town from up here.”

“Whoa—” Pacifica sat criss-cross applesauce next to Mabel. “This is a better view than my parent’s mansion.”

“Speaking of which,” Mabel said as she pointed at the horizon. “you can see Casa Northwest from up here!” She pointed to the other side of town, where it faded mostly to forests. “And there’s the good ol’ Shack!”

“Sorry to interrupt, but… Mabel?”

“Yup?”

“I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier.” Pacifica rested her palms on her legs. “Is it really true? That I’m normal?”

“Truer words have never been spoken,” Mabel said seriously and pulled out her phone. “Gravity Falls even has a pride parade this week; it’s pride month!”

“What do you mean by pride?”

“Celebrating our sexualities and genders as a community! I’m going with Dip, Wendy, Soos, Grenda, Candy, and our grunkles, you’re totally invited to come, too!”

“I never knew there was anything like that here. My parents usually throw a bunch of money at every event to make themselves look good.”

“They probably didn’t want you to know,” Mabel said.

“If it’s normal, why did they make me feel like it was disgusting?”

“That’s easy.” Mabel stretched out. “They’re homophobic. Not that I’m surprised…”

“There’s so many words I don’t know… what’s homophobic?”

“People who are against… people like us. The LGBT+ community— for example, you’re lesbian! Dipper’s bi, I’m pan, Ford’s gay, Grenda’s trans!”

“I’m so confused.”

“And that’s okay!” Mabel smiled. “You’ve been, like, conditioned to not know any of this stuff. It’s okay to learn new things about yourself, and I’ll be here to help you every step of the way! I am the one and only Love Expert, after all.”

“Mabel, thank you so much,” Pacifica said genuinely. “I really mean it.” Her face fell. “I just wish there were some way to get out of this arranged marriage with that heir. I don’t feel comfortable dating guys.”

“Well, you could always just… leave, right?”

“I’ve tried leaving them.” Pacifica’s voice was hopeless. Mabel placed her hand on hers for comfort. “I wish I wouldn’t be seen as gross by my own family.” She stiffened. “They’d probably hit me if they knew.”

“If they try anything, I’ll... I’ll break their legs.” Pacifica smiled slightly. “I would! I really would. I’ll go with you. I’ll be right there every step of the way.”

“You’re serious about this, huh?”

“Super serious. Your parents are stinky, ugly, gross poppy fart butts who don’t deserve you. You deserve a safe space, and the Mystery Shack is that.”

“I can’t believe you’d go through all of this for me, Mabel. You’re crazy, you know that?”

“I would a million times, Paz.” Mabel yawned and laid on her back as the stars began to appear. 

“How about a billion?” Pacifica joined her.

“You’re pushing it now, Northwest.” 

“A million and one?”

“Maybe.”

“A million and tw—” Mabel nudged her in the shoulder before she could finish, and she giggled. “If I move into that dusty old shack, I’m totally redecorating, you know that, right?”

“Hey!” Mabel nudged her again. “We had a moment! And the shack is not dusty and old… okay, maybe it’s a little dusty and old.”

“It’s a lot dusty and old.”

“I’ll put your bedroom in the creepy basement if you keep that up!” Mabel teased.

“Oh, please no!”

“I’m thinking about it!”

“Noooo!” Pacifica cried dramatically. She felt another nudge from Mabel. “What now? My shoulder’s gonna get sore—” She followed Mabel’s finger into the sky, which, due to lack of light pollution, was stunning; freckled with milky white stars and constellations Pacifica had never seen before. “—ohhh. Wow.”

“Pretty, huh? Kinda like you,” Mabel said.

“What? You like me too?”

“I didn’t call you gorgeous face at that restaurant for nothing.” Mabel’s face was a bright shade of red as she spoke.

“Wow. You’re hopeless.”

“You’re the one who’s never been on a date before,” Mabel pointed out.

“Point taken,” said Pacifica. “Hey, doesn’t Dipper have a birthmark of that constellation on his forehead?” 

“Yeah! It’s called the Little Dipper. That’s where he got that nickname from. Although, since he finally outgrew me, he’s more like the Big Dipper now, which is over… there.”

Mabel continued to name all the stars and constellations she could, not noticing that Pacifica was drifting off; and she was, too. “You asleep?” she whispered. There was no response. Mabel smiled. “Well, sleeping beauty, let's get you home.”

—————————————————————————————

Pacifica woke up the next morning in the Mystery Shack, with a tiny lesbian flag on her pillow.


End file.
